If it's that time of the year. Your CBD hemp has grown, matured, and is ready for the harvest. You got your equipment at hand, and the plant is prepared for what's coming. The purpose of your harvest is to either make your CBD product available for others or to enjoy your hemp flower yourself.

Either way, your hemp must be dried to give the desired effect. Proper drying enhances the compounds needed to create that effect. Since this can turn out to be quite a challenge, this article can help you get on top of your CBD hemp drying game.

So, without any further ado, here's how to properly dry your harvest and get the best CBD hemp flowers that will put your competition to shame.

Everything Starts with the Harvest

Everything starts with the harvest. This is where the hows and whens matter greatly.  Harvest with purpose in your mind. If you're after supplying dispensaries that support small hemp businesses, snip small, sale-sized flowers from the hemp plant. If it's prime quality for personal use, think larger.

The majority of growers keep their branches 12 inches long. Longer and larger branches save time and effort, especially if you're short on patience for details. Once your hemp is cut, it's time to move on to the next phase - transportation. The freshly cut flowers need to be adequately dried, and that process requires a drying facility.

Drying Conditions

The drying facility has to be conditioned to properly dry hemp flowers and preserve all the precious cannabinoids and terpenes. Before cutting or sniping, prepare your drying facility in such a manner so that you can perform the transportation and storing of your freshly cut hemp with minimal hassle.

There are two key aspects to worry about at this phase – humidity and temperature. Make sure humidity is between 45-55%, and the temperature is no more than 70 degrees F. Then, there are two more things to worry about – generating air circulation and ventilation. When it comes to air circulation, any fan will do just fine.

Choose the Right Drying Method

Laying out your CBD hemp flowers on a drying rack is the best way if you're more into that precision-type snipping. However, if you chose larger branches, you should consider the method of drying from above. You do that by hanging your 12-inch long branches upside down.

Now, it's essential to know that this method, while being far less effort-intensive, isn't without its downsides. CBD hemp flowers tend to be heavily dense, preventing airflow from reaching the branch's center.

There's also an issue of the downward leaf drooping. If left untreated, it can compromise the overall glaze and aesthetic of your hemp flower.

Go for the Ideal Dryness

Depending on the quality of your flower and your drying facility’s conditions, the drying period can take from 5 to 14 days. The best way to check if your flower is dry and ready is by finding a small terminal branch.

If you can easily break it, your plant is ready. If it snaps easily without any bending, you can move on to planning your next step carefully.

Cut Your Flower into Smaller Pieces

If your main goal is to prepare your buds for retail servings, there are two ways to go. You can either cut your flowers while wet, which allows for much more comfortable handling, management, and more precise measuring.

The other way is to cut your crops while dry, which is what seasoned cultivators and growers usually go for. However, keep in mind that processing your dry crop might disrupt the delicate trichome coating.

Tread gently and lightly while cutting. If handled with care, dry cutting helps produce higher-quality bud after curing, which is the main reason why professional cultivators go with this method.

Wet cutting takes more effort and time, and is more appropriate for personal use. If you want to hit that top-shelf status, dry cutting is a more fitting method.

The Curing

The curing is somewhat of a post-drying process. It includes storing your dried flowers in proper containers to prevent them from losing their freshness and moisture. If the outer leaves regain some moisture along the way, that's a sign of proper drying and storing.

Whatever you do, you have to ensure that your flower remains fresh. There's also one more thing to worry about - how to replenish oxygen. Your flower needs to breathe now and then. Open your containers and allow for oxygen levels to restore.

If you can't sniff out any ammonia, you did everything well, and your product will give the wanted results. You should be looking at a ready-to-use CBD flower within four week tops. Each strain is different, so the number can vary.

Submitted Exclusively to CrystalWind.ca  by  Kimberly .  © 2020 crystalwind.ca. All rights reserved.